


That's What Friends Are For

by autumnapplause



Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell, Simon Snow & Related Fandoms
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Watford (Simon Snow), bed sharing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23980132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autumnapplause/pseuds/autumnapplause
Summary: What do you do when your pixie roommate has taken over the room? Easy, go take the spare bed in your best friend's room since he spends all his time in his boyfriend's, anyway.
Relationships: Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow
Comments: 4
Kudos: 185





	That's What Friends Are For

**Author's Note:**

> Again, sort of wrote this as taking place before my fic [And If One Day You Went Away](/works/20303761/chapters/48133756), but you don't have to read that to enjoy this. 
> 
> (I think what I've gotten from all this is that I just really like the dynamic of established snowbaz at Watford. There's such a crazy amount of potential there.)
> 
> Also, I'm really surprised I haven't seen this idea done before. Has it been done before? If it has, hit me up cause I'd love to read it.
> 
> Title from One Of Us by New Politics.

PENNY

Sometimes, I get incredibly jealous of Simon.

Not about the Chosen One stuff. I’m already close enough to the carnage that can bring to ever wish something like that directly on myself. I’m sure being told at a young age that you have the future of the entire magical world on your shoulders hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park. His overwhelming magic has never been that appealing, either. I very much like to be in control of the magic I cast.

No, I’m just right pissed he hit the jackpot when it came to the roommate lottery.

Sure, he complained about Baz for nearly seven years, but now that they’re dating their room has become their own personal paradise on earth. Must be nice. If only I could be so lucky.

“Trixie’s really pushing it this time,” I grit through my teeth, stabbing a fork into my sausage. “Now that their ‘anniversary’ or whatever is coming up, she and Keris are planning on turning the room into some sort of romantic rendezvous. They didn’t even have the decency to ask me about it.”

From across the table, Baz is sat sipping his morning sugary nightmare he calls coffee with an arm slung around Simon’s shoulders. He couldn’t be more disinterested. “That’s rough, Bunce.”

I give him a dirty look, so Simon takes over. “When is this supposed to happen, Penny?”

“Tomorrow night, I think.”

“Then why don’t you just come stay in our room for a night?” he shrugs. “I’m not really using my bed anymore anyway.”

Baz turns to him and raises an eyebrow and Simon elbows him in the side like I can’t see them doing it right in front of me. “I’m not gonna force my way into your room, guys.”

Simon stares intently into Baz’s eyes for a moment before he sighs, defeated. “Don’t get all squeamish about imposing on us now, Bunce. It’s not like you haven’t done it before.”

That gets Baz another elbow to the stomach, but now Simon is smiling. “So? Will you?”

I suppose all I’d really be doing is swapping staying the night with one couple for another. But at least this way I won’t have to deal with the pixie dust, plus Simon and Baz are better company.

“Alright. We better make a night of it, then. We’ve got a magical words exam at the end of the week and it’s high time we started studying for it.”

Simon slumps into Baz’s side, groaning. “I didn’t mean like a study party, Pen,” he whines, while Baz just sips his coffee and goes “what makes you think I haven’t started studying for it already?”

These two, I swear. I’m not sure how much of a lesser of two evils this will end up being.

“Please, no more,” Simon groans.

His voice comes out a little muffled, given that his head is laying in Baz’s lap with a book Baz has placed on his face so that he could study. Simon doesn’t really seem to mind, as long as it’s getting him out of doing any work. “My brain is fried. Can’t we stop for the night?”

“Your brain is always fried, Snow,” Baz says, not looking away from his book.

Simon reaches up and pinches Baz’s thigh, which makes Baz press his hand onto the book and further into Simon’s face.

The three of us are splayed out on their floor, along with a mess of papers and notebooks. We’ve got a whiteboard set up in the corner that mainly Baz and I have been using to discuss the finer points of 18th century British lexicon. Simon didn’t even try to pretend like he was paying attention to that one. Mostly I think he was just enjoying watching the two of us have at it. He’s always said that Baz is ruthless when he fights, and now that I’ve had the chance to study with him I can see why he says that. He hasn’t beat me as top of the class all these years for nothing.

“Did you at least get the first half of the questions done?” I ask him.

“Yes,” he says. I look to Baz for confirmation and he nods.

“Alright then. Go ahead and get ready for bed, I’ll just be finishing up.”

Simon pushes the book off his face and goes into the ensuite, and after he’s done Baz gets up and swaps with him. I can’t tell if it’s like this every night or if they’re just doing it for my sake.

Either way, it gives me a moment alone with Simon, since Baz takes an ungodly amount of time in the bathroom. I look up to where he’s lounging on Baz’s bed in pajamas. “Thanks for letting me crash here, Simon, really. I know I’m cutting in on your time with Baz.”

Simon gets up and comes over to wrap his arms around me. “I wasn’t gonna let you suffer the horrors of pixie date night. I’m the Chosen One, after all, got to protect you from magical creatures.”

I give a pointed glance to the bathroom door. “And who’s going to protect you from magical creatures?”

He laughs and squeezes me tighter.

After my turn in the bathroom, I hop into Simon’s bed and spell out the lights. Simon and Baz are already tangled together under the covers. “Goodnight, you two.”

Simon gives me a soft “goodnight, Penny” and Baz just grunts, face pressed to Simon’s chest.

Sometimes I marvel at how soft they can be with one another. Their every interaction used to be a battle, every word a barb and every gesture a fistfight. It’s even sadder to look back on now knowing that this was what they really wanted to be doing all along.

Worrying about Simon used to be a full-time occupation for me, something that would keep me up most nights. But this night, witnessing that Simon is safe first-hand, I’m able to relax into the depths of sleep with welcome ease.

So it comes as a shock when I’m woken up in the middle of the night to the harsh jolt of Simon’s magic.

My eyes shoot open and I see Simon thrashing around in the moonlight, tears streaming down his face.

Before I can get up Baz is there, stroking Simon’s hair and face and whispering softly to him. “Simon, love,” he says. “Wake up. It’s alright, wake up.”

Slowly Simon comes back to himself, eyes fluttering open in panic and confusion. “Wha…?”

“It’s just me,” Baz says. “You were having a nightmare.”

I wonder how often this happens. This seems like a routine he’s done before several times in the past.

Simon’s chest heaves, but he looks a little less frenzied. “Sorry,” he breathes.

“Don’t apologize,” Baz murmurs, wiping at his tear tracks. “What happened?”

Simon leans forward to press their foreheads together, as if drawing strength from Baz. “I was back in a care home,” he whispers. “The Humdrum walked through the door, and he was me, the first time the Mage found me. He locked me in and said I’d be stuck there forever. That he would go to Watford instead of me.”

Baz’s eyebrows crease together slightly, like he’s angry, but he’s trying his best not to let it show in front of Simon.

“No matter how much I screamed, no one came to get me,” Simon finishes.

An arm comes up over Simon and pulls him closer to Baz. “You know I would always come find you, wherever you are,” Baz says, “right?”

Simon nods, gripping at Baz’s shirt. “I would come find you too, if you ever needed me.”

Baz huffs out a soft laugh. “I always need you, Simon.”

Simon seals their mouths together, and I close my eyes. I think they’ve forgotten that I’m here. I will for sleep to come, so they can have a moment to themselves.

When the morning comes, I’m the first one out of bed.

I’m resolved to slip out before they wake. I think they’re exhausted from interrupted sleep, so it’s not too hard a task.

Before I go, I take a second to stop by the door and just look at them. They’re wrapped around one another, Baz’s face smooshed into Simon’s hair and Simon’s into Baz’s chest. I’ve never seen either of them look more at ease. It’s something I always hope to see, through the end of the year and beyond that.

I smile, and leave them to their peace.

**Author's Note:**

> (look I know the British say revising instead of studying but I'm American and also lazy so here you go)


End file.
